Healthy Digestion

Having poor digestion seems to be the common ailment of our time. It is so prevalent that many think the symptoms associated with poor digestion are common to everyone: Constipation, diarrhea, gas, bloating, fatigue ….these are all just an accepted part of our daily experience and somehow removed from our psyche as even being an issue. Our social culture is to treat these interferences with over the counter medications to block having to “feel” the discomfort associated with digestive issues. These medications may block symptoms, but they also exacerbate the underlying problem.

Having a healthy digestion means that your body is able to break down and extract the nutrients from the foods that you eat and use them to nourish your cells and provide your body with energy. If the body is unable to break these food down, and unable to use the nutrients and minerals in these foods to maintain healthy cells, then nutritional deficiencies will occur in time, as will diseases related to these deficits. Many modern diseases are related to food because it is food that we use to create health. When that relationship is not working, then our bodies respond with an illness or disease that reflects the deficiency. Having healthy digestion should be our goal. It is our gauge for knowing if our bodies are nourished or if they are in need of a tune up.

Here are some suggestions to improve digestion:
Probiotics: Probiotic foods and supplements help in feeding the good bacterial flora within our bodies that support healthy digestion.

Movement: Even if it is a quick walk or 10 jumping jacks….movement is key. Stagnancy within the body only makes gastrointestinal issues worse. When you move the body, you allow for the use of foods to be accessed for energy.

Mind your Thoughts: The mind-body connection is always being talked about but few adhere to the obvious implications. Stressful thoughts, stressful lives, stress in any form creates a chemical response by the brain that affects our body’s ability to create hormonal balance. Our bodies simply can’t cope with the stress, and digest foods at the same time. Learning ways that work for you to cope with stress is key.